After almost five years since the CEO of defunct dealership firm Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah was charged with selling gold without license, defrauding and various counts of money laundering, an Accra High Court has set December 20 to begin his trial.
Outlining the legal options available to the accused, Justice Owusu Dapaah explained to lawyers of the NAM 1 that they could explore a plea bargain since the case is a financial one.
Plea bargains are agreements between defendants and prosecutors in which defendants agree to plead guilty to some or all of the charges against them in exchange for concessions from the prosecutors
During a case management conference in court on Tuesday, December 12, Director of Public Prosecutions Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa noted that the state will call eleven witnesses for their evidence during the trial.
The witnesses include Stephen Attipoe (Prosecution Witness 1), Lady Darling Tuffour (PW2), Dr Niikoi Annan (PW3), Edward Otu Larbi (PW4), Fred Odame Asiedu (PW5), and Francis Agodzi (PW6).
The remaining are Benjamin Baffoe (PW7), Rhoda Fofo Kormey(PW8), Rose Ocran (PW9), Priscilla Adu Boateng (PW10), DSP Charles Nyarko (PW11).
After an assessment of the roadmap of the prosecution by counsel for Nana Appiah Mensah also known as NAM 1 and state prosecutors, the court noted that thirty-five (35) hours will be used.
This will consist of witness statements and cross-examinations of the defendant’s counsel.
Presiding judge Dr Ernest Owusu-Dapaah indicated that there will be a daily trial of the former Menzgold boss in January, 2024.
“Scheduled dates for hearing in January 2024:
15th January – 1pm, 16th January – Morning, 17th January – 9am, 18th January – 9am and 19th January – 9am after which subsequent dates will be decided”
He added that he hoped the judgement for the trial would be ready in March, 2024.
Nana Appiah Mensah pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of new charges proffered against him by the state on December 8.
